Tiger Woods missed the final practice round at The Players Championship on Wednesday because he wanted to check on his father in California, a tour official said.

Earl Woods, who still lives in Cypress, Calif., where he raised his son, has been battling cancer the last two years.

Mark Steinberg, Woods' agent at IMG, said in a statement that Woods was not at Sawgrass for personal reasons, but that he intended to return in time for his 12:33 p.m. ET tee time in the first round Thursday.